Hybrid personal training system and method

Abstract

Disclosed is a hybrid personal training method and system according to an exemplary embodiment of the system, a personal trainer or physical therapist works remotely or locally with clients in conjunction with an automated self-learning/self-assessing system for supervising the progress of the clients in the absence of the trainer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented remote personal training method comprising:
 a) capturing video of a client performing an exercise routine;   b) extracting exercise features from the captured video, the extracted exercise features representative of the client's performance of the exercise routine;   c) comparing the extracted exercise features representative of the client's performance to extracted exercise features representative of a reference video associated with a target performance of the exercise routine; and   d) communicating information to one or both of the client and a remote personal trainer regarding the performance of the exercise routines by the client relative to the reference video based on the generated exercise performance results.   
     
     
         2 . The computer implemented remote personal training method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of comparing the extracted exercise features includes one or more of:
 evaluating the client's performance of the exercise routine;   identifying an incorrect form of the client; and   tracking a progression of the client's performance of the exercise routine.   
     
     
         3 . The computer implemented remote personal training method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 e) the remote personal trainer communicating with the client based on the information communicated to the remote personal trainer in step d).   
     
     
         4 . The computer implemented remote personal training method according to  claim 1 , wherein the remote personal trainer is one of a physical therapist and a fitness trainer. 
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented remote personal training method according to  claim 1 , wherein the reference video includes one or more of an actual performance of the exercise routine by the client under the supervision of the remote trainer, an actual performance of the exercise routine by a trainer, and an actual performance of the exercise routine generated by animation. 
     
     
         6 . The computer implemented remote personal training method according to  claim 1 , step b) comprising:
 extracting one or more trajectories of one or more body parts associated with the client's performance of the exercise routine.   
     
     
         7 . The computer implemented remote personal training method according to  claim 6 , wherein the one or more trajectories are normalized. 
     
     
         8 . The computer implemented remote personal training method according to  claim 6 , wherein the one or more body parts are detected using one or more of an RGB camera, a depth-sensing camera and coded clothing. 
     
     
         9 . The computer implemented remote personal training method according to  claim 1 , step c) comprising:
 performing one of dynamic time warping and trajectory-normalization.   
     
     
         10 . The computer implemented remote personal training method according to  claim 1 , wherein the information communicated to one or both of the client and the remote personal trainer includes one or more of video and audio. 
     
     
         11 . The computer implemented remote personal training method according to  claim 1 , wherein information communicated to one or both of the client and the remote personal trainer is based on one of thresholding video segments and ranking video segments. 
     
     
         12 . A remote personal training system comprising:
 a controller configured to execute instructions to perform a remote personal training method, and one or more sensing elements operatively associated with the controller, the personal training method comprising:   a) capturing video of a client performing an exercise routine;   b) extracting exercise features from the captured video, the extracted exercise features being representative of the client's performance of the exercise routine;   c) comparing the extracted exercise features representative of the client's performance to extracted exercise features representative of a reference video associated with a target performance of the exercise routine; and   d) communicating information to one or both of the client and a remote personal trainer regarding the performance of the exercise routines by the client relative to the reference video based on the generated exercise performance results.   
     
     
         13 . A remote personal training system according to  claim 12 , wherein the step of comparing the extracted exercise features includes one or more of:
 evaluating the client's performance of the exercise routine;   identifying an incorrect form of the client; and   tracking a progression of the client's performance of the exercise routine.   
     
     
         14 . The remote personal training system according to  claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
 e) the remote personal trainer communicating with the client based on the information communicated to the remote personal trainer in step d).   
     
     
         15 . The remote personal training system according to  claim 12 , wherein the remote personal trainer is one of a physical therapist and a fitness trainer. 
     
     
         16 . The remote personal training system according to  claim 12 , wherein the reference video includes one or more of an actual performance of the exercise routine by the client under the supervision of the remote trainer, an actual performance of the exercise routine by a trainer, and an actual performance of the exercise routine generated by animation. 
     
     
         17 . The remote personal training system according to  claim 12 , step b) comprising:
 extracting one or more trajectories of one or more body parts associated with the client's performance of the exercise routine.   
     
     
         18 . The remote personal training system according to  claim 17 , wherein the one or more trajectories are normalized. 
     
     
         19 . The remote personal training system according to  claim 17 , wherein the one or more body parts are detected using one or more of an RGB camera, a depth-sensing camera and coded clothing. 
     
     
         20 . The remote personal training system according to  claim 12 , step c) comprising:
 performing one of dynamic time warping and trajectory-normalization.   
     
     
         21 . The remote personal training system according to  claim 12 , wherein the information communicated to one or both of the client and the remote personal trainer includes one or more of video and audio. 
     
     
         22 . The remote personal training system according to  claim 12 , wherein information communicated to one or both of the client and the remote personal trainer is based on one of thresholding video segments and ranking video segments. 
     
     
         23 . A computer program product comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-usable data carrier storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a remote personal training method comprising:   a) capturing video of a client performing an exercise routine;   b) extracting exercise features from the captured video, the extracted exercise features representative of the client's performance of the exercise routine;   c) comparing the extracted exercise features representative of the client's performance to extracted exercise features representative of a reference video associated with a target performance of the exercise routine; and   d) communicating information to one or both of the client and a remote personal trainer regarding the performance of the exercise routines by the client relative to the reference video based on the generated exercise performance results.   
     
     
         24 . The computer program product according to  claim 23 , comprising:
 e) the remote personal trainer communicating with the client based on the information communicated to the remote personal trainer in step d).   
     
     
         25 . The computer program product according to  claim 23 , wherein the reference video includes an actual performance of the exercise routine by the client under the supervision of the remote trainer.